


Across The Hall

by thetranquilteal (dragonBug27)



Category: Outlander & Related Fandoms, Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, F/M, Halloween, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-10 01:37:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16460960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonBug27/pseuds/thetranquilteal
Summary: Growing up in Scotland, one of Jamie Fraser’s all time favourite things to do was carve turnips on All Hallows Eve. Having recently relocated to the United States of America, Jamie assumes carving pumpkins on Halloween is no different and finds himself in a situation that he never expected.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jewelsbrooke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jewelsbrooke/gifts).



> Based on the tumblr prompt: “Person A is carving pumpkins in their apartment and ends up cutting their hand pretty badly. Not confident enough in their ability to drive to the hospital with the injury, they rush across the hall and knock on Person B's door.”

“Ouch!!” 

Jamie clutched his left hand with his right and glared furiously at the carving knife he had dropped on the table next to the pumpkin. The man at the grocers had told him carving pumpkin was easier than carving turnips or beets. What a load of crock. He should have just stuck to what he knew rather than try so hard to assimilate into American culture.

The telltale sound of blood dripping onto the hardwood floor of his apartment brought him back to the issue at hand.  _ Literally _ , he muttered as he reached for the nearest towel which happened to be the t-shirt he had discarded on the back of one his dining room chairs earlier that morning. 

Holding the fabric tightly against the cut he took the time to take in a few deep breaths. The sight of bloody injuries weren't anything new to him although this was the first time he had suffered something - unwillingly - self inflicted.

“Ye eejit,” he swore at himself and pulled the t-shirt back for a proper look only to press it back down straight away. The cut was still bleeding and it didn’t look like it would stop anytime soon. He couldn't just sit there all night waiting for his hand to magically fix itself. Especially not when he had only just begun working on the Halloween decorations he had been intending on preparing days earlier. Quitting now wasn't an option available to him.

Clutching his injured hand against his chest he grabbed his keys and wallet from the kitchen bench and made his way out into the hall of his apartment building. The door slamming behind him awashed him with air cold enough to make the hairs on his arms stand on end. Realizing in his haste to get out the door he had forgotten to put on a jacket he turned around and fished his keys out of his right pocket - and promptly dropped them on the ground.

Jamie dropped his forehead against the door and groaned. If he couldn't even get back into his apartment there was no way he would be able to drive himself to the hospital. Giving up on his original plan he picked up his keys and moved across the hall to knock on his neighbours door. 

There was only silence and Jamie checked his watch as he waited. It was only 8pm - it would be just his luck tonight that his neighbor wasn't home. Just as he turned to leave the door swung open and there stood a woman dressed in blue jeans and a simple blouse with wild curly hair gathered into a bun atop her head and eyes so wide he couldn't help but wonder what he must look like right then.

“Uhhh…” Christ, he hadn't expected the person who answered the door to be so stunning he was almost lost for words.  _ Get it together, man!  _

“Hi there,” he leaned against the door frame casually, “sorry, I didna mean to bother ye. It’s just-”

“Bloody hell, you’re bleeding!” the woman interrupted his obviously failed attempt at making a good first impression and reached for the hand still cradled against his chest. Even more surprising than her language was her distinctly English accent. “What on earth did you do?”

“Och, just a minor pumpkin carving accident. It’s no’ that bad… I dinna think.” Jamie said, grimacing even as he said the words. It seemed the presence of beautiful women only provided a temporary distraction from the pain.

“Not that bad my arse! You’ve lost a fair bit of blood already. Come inside so I can tend to it. I can even stitch it up for you if needed.” 

Jamie looked at her curiously as she held the door open for him. As kind as she seemed he wasn’t sure he should trust someone he just met to perform surgery on his hand. 

“I’m a certified doctor,” she explained, “and by the looks of that injury we shouldn’t waste time trying to get you to a hospital when I can do it here.” 

Jamie simply stared as the woman turned and walk back into her apartment. She must have sensed he wasn’t following her because she turned and looked back at him. “Are you coming or are you just going to stand there all night dripping blood all over the hallway floor?”

“Oh right. Yes, ah… of course.” Jamie pushed away from the door frame and made his way inside, closing the door behind him slowly in order to give himself a few extra seconds to recompose himself. “Ye know, I usually wouldna come into a woman’s apartment like this… at least until she’d bought me dinner first.”

The woman stopped clearing items off the table in her kitchen and turned to him with a blank look on her face. “I’m just going to blame that attempt at a joke on the blood loss you’ve experienced, hmm?”

“Well yer a feisty one, are ye not?” He couldn’t help but grin in response. How had he never met her before now?

“So I’ve been told a time or two. Sit,” she said, pointing to the barstool in front of the island in her kitchen. “Now.”

More than happy to oblige, Jamie sat down and placed his hand out on the table and watched the woman walk back and forth gathering whatever items she needed.

“I’m Jamie by the way. Jamie Fraser.”

“Claire Beauchamp,” Claire replied as she situated herself on the bar stool next to him. “Now let’s take a look at this hand of yours.” 

Jamie hardly noticed her poking and prodding for watching her face as she worked. She was wearing close to minimal make-up and he could see the freckles scattered across her cheeks. Her nose scrunched as she concentrated on her task and the dark curls framing her face didn’t seem to bother her at all. Suddenly she looked up expectantly.

“Huh?” 

“I said, you definitely need a few stitches. How are you with pain management?”

“I can handle anything you need to do. Although, if you have some whisky that might help a tad, aye?”

“Sure,” Claire stood up and gathered two glasses and an already open bottle of American Oak whisky.

“Two glasses?” Jamie enquired as Claire sat back down. “Are ye sure ye should be doing this under the influence?”

“ _ Technically _ , I shouldn’t actually be doing this at all.” 

“Doing what? Stitching up my hand or letting strangers into your home?”

“Both?” Claire replied laughing as she poured a serve into each glass. “It’s not proper to be performing any kind of surgery outside of the hospital. But, if you don’t tell then I won’t?”

“Aye, I willna tell anyone,” Jamie said accepting his glass gratefully. “I’m just grateful I dinna have to go to the hospital - I would much rather take a chance by trusting someone I just met to fix my hand than deal with international health insurance. But, I do have to ask: why didn’t ye simply take me to see a doctor that’s on duty? Surely ye dinna want to be taking in new patients during your time off?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Claire smirked at him as she raised her glass. “Sláinte.”

“Sláinte,” Jamie concurred and raised his glass before downing it. This woman was becoming all the more interesting every minute he spent with her. One more thing and he might just fall in love with her right then and there. 

“So, how do you enjoy living here in these apartments?” Claire asked as she got to work on his hand.

“How do ye ken I live here? I might be visiting someone or mayhap even just lurking the hallways?”

“I would never have invited you inside if I had have thought that was even a remote possibility,” Claire glanced up to look at him briefly. “I just knew.”

“Ye just knew?” Jamie asked skeptically with one brow raised.

“Okay, okay,” Claire laughed. “Mrs. Fitz from downstairs told me all about the tall red-headed Scot who moved into the building. It wasn’t much of a leap to assume that person was you.”

“Ah, Mrs. Fitz. That explains a lot,” Jamie nodded his head knowingly. Mrs. Fitz was an elderly woman who he quickly discovered keeps herself busy by looking after and cooking for everyone in the building. If you ever need any information she would be the one to ask - and if you didn’t ask she would tell you anyway. “Really though, it’s great here. Walking distance to the gym, home cooked meals and now in-house medical attention… what more could I possibly need?”

“I take it you haven’t met Old Alec yet, then? That will be something else to add to your list.” Claire chuckled and, although he didn’t have a clue what was so funny, he knew it was a sound he would be happy to hear again and again.

It was amazing how easily conversation flowed between them. It was obvious that Claire was attempting to distract him from the pain of having his skin sewn back together but it didn’t seem forced. If anything, making conversation seemed to come naturally for the both of them. It was rather entertaining to think that the most interesting conversation he’d had with someone since moving to America was with an English lass.

“What I am curious to know is,” Claire paused as she knotted the last stitch with a gentle tug, “why you were carving pumpkins in the first place - are you hosting a Halloween party?”

“Aye, actually I am. Tomorrow night at 7. Would you like to come?”

"I’d love to.” Claire chewed on her bottom lip as she considered him and he couldn’t help but stare at the multitude shades of pink across it. “I don’t finish work until 8, though, so I’ll be a little late. Will that be okay?”

“More than okay.” 

“Here let me wrap this up for you so you can get back to decorating.”

Jamie waited patiently as Claire bandaged his hand and then handed him back his now dry and bloody t-shirt. 

“Thank ye so much, Claire. How can I repay ye?”

“Well, normally I would insist that you don’t owe me anything but in this case I think I’ll put in a request for a drink at this party of yours tomorrow night.”

“That I can promise ye.” 

They walked in step with one another to the front door and were standing so close they were almost touching. It might be the whisky talking but he had this sudden urge to stay, as though all that existed outside the door were shadows and here remained the sun.  _ Sorcha,  _ his brain supplied. 

“Good night, Jamie.”

“Good night, Claire.”

But as much as he wanted to linger he really couldn't. He had a party to plan, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never intended on this being more than a one-shot but here we are with part 2... and it's all thanks to the wonderful people who read and commented on the original chapter. Thank you all so much! A x

“Oh, no. Oh, no, this won't do at all.”

“Pardon?”

“You're hosting a party, you said? And it starts at 7pm?” Mrs. Fitz handed Jamie the antique platters he had asked to borrow earlier that morning as she stared past him into his apartment.

“Aye,” Jamie nodded in response and watched as the expression on Mrs. Fitz’s face morphed from one of incredulity to sheer determination.

“Stand aside my lad, you're clearly in no position to even light a candle for Samhain, let alone prepare for a party!”

Jamie did as he was told with a bewildered chuckle and joined Mrs. Fitz in looking around at his one handed attempts at decorating. He had improvised with his remaining pumpkins by slicing the tops off, emptying them and then filling them with ice to make decorative bowls for the bottles of cider. He had also stocked up on what he considered to be party appropriate snacks and, at the suggestion of man who packs bags at the local supermarket, he had scattered synthetic cobwebs throughout the living and dining areas. Still, even he had to admit it was a bit lackluster.  _ Maybe Mrs. Fitz has a point. _

“Now all I need to know is what kind of party is this. Who exactly did ye invite to this party of yours? Friends? People from work?”

“It’s just something casual. I invited Claire from across the hall-” Jamie stopped as Mrs. Fitz clasped her hands together in excitement.

“Ye conjured up this party for a lassie, aye?”

“Wha- no, I never said that-”

“Ooh, I just knew you two would be a good match the minute ye moved in here!” Mrs. Fitz suddenly turned to face him with her hands on her hips. “And all ye’ve got is crisps and cider??”

“Dinna be daft,” Jamie said trying to think best how to defended himself without being rude. “I’ve also got some black candied apples that’ll look good on the middle of the table!”

“Got those out of a packet too, I suppose?” Mrs. Fitz gave him a look just like the one his older sister Jenny would give him whenever he had done or said something stupid - which, unfortunately, was quite often - and he burst out laughing.

“They’re fresh! From the bakery down the road!”

“Ah, well. Could be worse. Alright, enough dilly-dallying! We’ve got work to do! First things first - did ye bring a kilt with ye from bonnie Scotland? Och, what am I saying? Of course ye did! You need to go and get changed. I’m sure ye could dress as something like a musician or mayhap even a traditional Highlander? Either way, wear it lad… no woman in her right mind can resist a man in a kilt.”

Jamie had been prepared to argue that the rugby jersey he was already wearing would be enough of a costume but quickly changed his mind. Considering the way the conversation was going he would be  _ much _ better off simply going along with whatever the woman wanted.

“And once you’re ready,” Mrs. Fitz called out to Jamie as he walked down the hall to his bedroom to get ready for a second time that afternoon, “go and fetch Alec from 28B. I think I’ll be requiring his assistance at some point.” 

 

\-----

 

“Sassenach, ye made it!”

Jamie grinned at the sight of Claire standing at his door. Although he would never openly admit that he had been looking at the clock every few minutes for the last hour he would happily admit just how beautiful she looked. She was dressed in a simple cream dress that was covered in dirt and ripped in places with a pair of vintage brown leather shoes on her feet. Her hair was damp and messy around her shoulders highlighting her naturally pink cheeks and the smile on her face.

“Did ye, erm, have a bit of trouble finding the place?” Jamie asked.

“Yes, actually,” Claire replied seriously, her smile now gone. “Do you have any idea how many zombie attacks I had to survive just to make it across the hall? I didn’t look like this when I left home, I can promise you that.”

“Well, I’m verra glad ye survived. Come on in, I’ll get ye that drink I owe ye.”

The party was now in full swing and a few people turned and greeted Claire as they walked through the open living space and into the kitchen. Jamie was still amazed by how incredible his apartment looked. Under the watchful eye of Mrs. Fitz, he and Alec had constructed wall pieces and decorations while Mrs. Fitz had gone about setting up the antique contents of two boxes he had lugged up the stairs from her apartment. The end result was something that looked like the dining hall of an old abandoned castle complete with candle lit chandeliers and plants ‘growing’ up and around pieces of furniture. 

“We’ve got a range of drinks to choose from. Would ye prefer a glass of Red Sangria, Black Magic Margarita, Blood Orange Bourbon, normal cider or even something non-alcoholic?”

“After the day I’ve had? Blood Orange Bourbon sounds fantastic, thank you.”

“Bad day?” Jamie asked as he went about serving a drink for each of them.

“Oh, no. Just a long one.” Claire crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. “It is incredible the medical problems you come across during the holidays. Although, I suppose I don’t need to tell you about Halloween-related accidents do I?”

“No,” Jamie laughed and handed Claire her drink, “you don’t. Come on, let me give you the tour.”

Just like the day before, conversation flowed easily between them. An hour had already passed by the time they had settled onto the bench seat by the window.

“You know, I think this might be the first time a party has ever been held on this floor. I would be too worried about annoying the neighbours with all the noise.”

“Ah, that’s easy - I simply invited them all. It’s amazing what you can get people to agree to when you offer them free alcohol.”

“Wow, you really are a people person,” Claire laughed. “You know, I never asked you yesterday what it is you do? Or why you relocated here?”

“Och, it’s not a particularly interesting story. Most of my work revolves around managing livestock - horses primarily. Just recently I was offered a position here with Leoch & Co... it seemed like a good opportunity so I took it.” Jamie waved his hands as he spoke and winced as he accidently knocked his injured hand against the armrest.

“I really should take a look at your hand while I’m still remotely sober.”

“Come on, let's go up to the roof,” Jamie stood and held out his good hand. “It will be a lot quieter up there.”

“Won’t your friends miss you if you’re not here?” Claire asked as she slipped her hand into his and followed his lead out the door and up the stairs.

“Nah, I don’t actually know any of those people.”

“What do you mean you don’t know any of them? You hosted a party just to invite a bunch of strangers? There are easier ways to meet people in this town, you know?”

“No,” Jamie slowed his steps and turned back to face her. “I invited a bunch of strangers into my apartment so that I could spend some time with  _ you _ .”

Claire remained silent as they walked out onto the roof but Jamie wasn’t worried. The smile on her lips told him he hadn’t said too much.  _ Thank goodness _ .

He stood patiently as Claire unwrapped the bandage and checked his wound. Just as he had expected, his hand was healing fine and without even saying a word they chose to linger on the roof in comfortable silence long after she had rewrapped it. The air was so fresh compared to that of his apartment below he wasn't sure he wanted to return anytime soon, even if it was starting to get a bit chilly.

“Here, let me get you my plaid. You’re shivering,” Jamie added when she raised her eyebrows at him. As he wrapped the plaid around her shoulders he couldn't help but stare. She was so incredibly beautiful with the soft light lighting her features in a way that he hadn't yet discovered.

Jamie reached out and caressed her cheek, watching her face intently to gauge her reaction to their close proximity. His heart was pounding in his chest and it was taking everything he had to wait until Claire gave him permission to kiss her.

With bated breath he watched her half lidded eyes close slowly as she leaned in towards him and he crashed his mouth against hers. The traces of Bourbon on their lips only made the kiss all that much more enjoyable.

Her hands were still clutching the front of his shirt so he slid his hand slowly down her neck and willingly tangled it in her soft curls. The sound of Claire’s moan vibrated through him and Jamie pulled her body flush against his in response. Even that wasn't enough. He tilted his head even further to the side and deepened the kiss, teasing his tongue against her bottom lip only to have her return in kind. 

All too soon Claire pulled away and he heard himself groan in protest. He opened his eyes to find her staring up at him, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glittering in the dim light. 

“Where did you learn to kiss like that?”

“A gentleman never kisses and tells.”

“Well, neither does a lady… but I can tell you that was quite a kiss.” Claire stood up on the tips of her toes and kissed him once more, quickly and gently this time. “I think it's time I retired for the night.” 

“Can I see ye again, sometime?”

“You can count on it,” Claire released her hands and tightened the plaid still wrapped around her shoulders. “But try to not let it be with another injury?”

“Unfortunately, I'm rather accident prone and will no doubt need your attentions in the future but I can promise ye it won't be of the medical kind.” He grinned as Claire threw her head back and laughed out loud. 

He didn’t care if it took another injury, or him making a fool of himself saying all the silly things that came to his mind, if he could make her laugh like that. And he would continue to do it every chance he got.


End file.
